European soccer news: Yamal, 16, boosts Barça; Kane stays hot

European membership soccer is again, with mouthwatering motion and dynamite drama on seemingly each channel and in each floor throughout the continent. The Premier League, LaLiga, the Bundesliga, Serie A and Ligue 1 all had matchups price rehashing.

Action started on Friday night time, when Chelsea earned their first win beneath Mauricio Pochettino, whereas Real Madrid remained excellent due to yet one more Jude Bellingham aim. On Saturday, each Arsenal and Manchester United dug themselves early holes, in opposition to Fulham and Nottingham Forest, respectively, however solely Erik ten Hag’s crew was in a position to climb out of it to say all three factors.

Sunday’s huge video games included Barcelona in a seven-goal thriller, Manchester City already trying unstoppable, and Harry Kane discovering his groove at Bayern Munich.

– Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, extra (U.S.)

So let’s get into it. With a full menu of video games, listed below are your speaking factors, nice targets and all of the information from an exquisite weekend within the huge European leagues.

SUNDAY REVIEW

The Sunday lead: Barcelona’s teen star Yamal places on present

Barcelona’s 4-3 win over Villarreal had all of it: seven targets, controversial offside selections, some actually horrible defending and the affirmation that Lamine Yamal is one very, very particular expertise.

The 16-year-old winger did not rating however he did all the things else, organising targets for Gavi and Robert Lewandowski, hitting the woodwork twice and incomes a standing ovation from an impressed crowd on the Estadio de La Ceramica.

Barça boast a document of manufacturing thrilling kids which few golf equipment can match. Before Yamal it was Gavi, and earlier than Gavi it was Ansu Fati. Fati has struggled to match that early hype, whereas Gavi has cemented his place as a star.

But it is no exaggeration to say that proper now, Yamal seems to be like Barca’s most essential participant: The one more than likely to make one thing occur in assault, and papering over the cracks in defence. Coach Xavi Hernández will wish to preserve {the teenager}’s toes on the bottom however on this type, he has to maintain his place within the beginning XI. — Alex Kirkland

---

Sunday speaking factors across the leagues

Are City already out of attain?

Three video games into the season and Manchester City are high of the Premier League, two factors away from the chasing pack, after Sunday’s 2-1 win at Sheffield United left them as the one crew with a 100% begin.

So here is the large query — are City already out of attain? It could sound a ridiculous assertion so early within the season, however for Pep Guardiola’s crew to concede the highest spot, they should drop factors and their rivals must win.

Of course, over a 38-game season, there are peaks and troughs of type. City will drop factors, however after they do, the hole to their rivals have to be sufficiently small for them to take benefit and the inconsistency of Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool and Newcastle United to date this season suggests these golf equipment will drop factors extra often than City.

It’s a worrying prospect that this season will change into a procession with City disappearing over the horizon.

But even when not taking part in properly, they nonetheless ended up with the victory at Bramall Lane and that may be a high quality that solely City possess within the Premier League.

Everyone else is susceptible to being caught out on a foul day, however City simply win and the remaining are already taking part in catch up, which isn’t a very good place to be. — Mark Ogden

Can anybody cease Kane?

The Bundesliga season remains to be in its infancy, making it arduous to essentially divine a lot from the outcomes, however one factor we are able to state is simply how seamlessly Harry Kane has adjusted to life at Bayern Munich.

The England star scored twice in Sunday’s 3-1 win over FC Augsburg and appeared like he’d been there for years given the benefit with which he linked play and made the appropriate runs. Bayern thrive on extra basic heart ahead play, as proven by years of excellence from Robert Lewandowski, and having stumbled to the title final season with out that conventional No. 9, Kane’s early returns show that out.

His second and third league targets (in simply his second look) had been too simple: the primary a rudimentary penalty after Niklas Dorsch was judged to have dealt with Joshua Kimmich’s curling shot, the second coming with a intelligent run and end after Alphonso Davies seared down the flank past a helpless Arne Engels.

Bayern conceded a late comfort however head to Borussia Monchengladbach subsequent weekend with two wins and 7 targets scored to at least one conceded. You can anticipate Kane to stay within the targets regardless of who Bayern play this season. — James Tyler

Pogba proves he might help Juventus

From Juventus’ 1-1 draw with Bologna on Sunday, we can’t keep in mind a lot aside from the truth that as soon as once more Max Allegri’s crew struggled to create probabilities regardless of having probably the most possession. But Paul Pogba will hope that this match might truly be an essential one for himself and a turning level.

After a 2022-23 marketing campaign ruined by off-field points and accidents and the place he made solely six Serie A appearances, the French midfielder stayed on the bench final weekend in Juve’s opener. But Sunday, he made a constructive influence as he got here on with 25 minutes to go and his crew down a aim. He did not endure any bodily setback and it was his excellent ball for Samuel Iling-Junior that led to Dusan Vlahovic’s equaliser.

Juventus dropped two factors at house in opposition to a strong Bologna aspect however the return of Pogba will probably be seen as the largest and greatest information of the night time. The No. 10 has the potential to remodel this crew in possession together with his creativity. The Bianconeri will want him at his greatest in the event that they wish to compete for the home title in a season with out European competitors.

And if he desires to make the France squad for the 2024 Euros, he wants a full season beneath his belt. It began fairly properly. Let’s see how lengthy it lasts. — Julien Laurens

---

News of the Day

• Former Italy boss Roberto Mancini was formally named the new head coach of the Saudi Arabia nationwide crew Sunday. The Saudi FA gave no additional particulars, however Italian media reported Mancini would go away for Riyadh on Monday to attend a presentation occasion and signal a contract till 2027 price €25m ($27 million) internet per 12 months. He will make his debut within the dugout Sept. 8 in opposition to Costa Rica.

• Several LALIGA groups expressed help for Spain girls’s nationwide crew participant Jenni Hermoso, who received an unsolicited kiss from Spanish FA boss Luis Rubiales in the course of the Women’s World Cup winners’ ceremony final week. On Saturday, Cádiz’s gamers held up a banner saying “We Are All With Jenni” whereas Sevilla’s gamers wore T-shirts with a “This is over” message, in reference to increased calls for Rubiales to step down. Barcelona coach Xavi Hernández additionally condemned Rubiales’ habits, calling it “totally unacceptable.”

SATURDAY REVIEW

The Saturday lead: Arsenal appear to be a piece in progress

Arsenal made early strikes within the switch market to make sure they hit the bottom working this season, however Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Fulham underlines they’re having to problem-solve excess of supervisor Mikel Arteta would really like.

Perhaps dropping Jurriën Timber to a severe knee harm is much more of a blow than it might first seem.

The £38 million signing from Ajax began preseason — and the opening Premier League recreation in opposition to Nottingham Forest — as a left-back coming into midfield to assist Arsenal overload opponents. After Takehiro Tomiyasu struggled in that position at Crystal Palace on Monday, Jakub Kiwior was equally ineffective within the place in opposition to the Cottagers.

Thomas Partey moved into midfield from right-back but in addition didn’t affect the sport, whereas additional ahead the mix play of Leandro Trossard, Gabriel Martinelli, Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard was missing. The outcome was a scarcity of fluidity for the third match working, and whereas it was masked by beating Forest and Palace, they had been made to pay the worth by a spirited Fulham aspect who had been worthy of a degree.

After falling behind within the first minute as Andreas Pereira struck, two second-half targets in three minutes from Eddie Nketiah and a Saka penalty turned the sport in Arsenal’s favour. Then João Palhinha equalised regardless of Fulham being decreased to 10 males following Calvin Bassey’s 83rd-minute purple card.

Substitutes Fabio Vieira and Oleksandr Zinchenko helped Arsenal enhance considerably after the break, however fairly than look the settled aspect able to push Manchester City all the way in which, Arsenal proceed to resemble a piece in progress. — James Olley

---

Saturday speaking factors across the leagues

Varane’s exit compounds Man United harm woes

Manchester United eased a few of the strain with their 3-2 win over Nottingham Forest at Old Trafford on Saturday, however the issues are mounting for Erik ten Hag. He has already misplaced Luke Shaw and Mason Mount to harm, and in opposition to Forest, Raphaël Varane was the newest to be compelled off.

Speaking after the sport, Ten Hag performed down the importance of the issue, and he can solely hope it is not severe as a result of he wants the Frenchman in his crew.

Ten Hag is already coping with a major situation at left-back with Shaw and Tyrell Malacia each set to be sidelined till November, whereas third selection Brandon Williams has been allowed to affix Ipswich Town on mortgage. It meant Diogo Dalot, extra comfy at right-back, needed to begin on the left in opposition to Forest with 20-year-old Álvaro Fernández on the bench.

United predict a quiet finish to the switch window, however Ten Hag hinted on Friday that the membership might need to dip into the market to signal one other left-back. That would possibly disappoint the followers who assume the squad desperately wants one other midfielder, as a result of there’s unlikely to be sufficient cash within the funds to strengthen each positions earlier than the deadline.

Varane getting the all-clear this week can be a great addition. — Rob Dawson

---

Bellingham papering over Madrid’s harm disaster

Real Madrid have suffered loads of setbacks at the beginning of the brand new season, together with dropping Vinícius Júnior to harm on Friday at Celta Vigo, however they proceed to be masked over by Jude Bellingham. The England worldwide continued his spectacular begin to life in Spain with the winner as Madrid beat Celta 1-0 at Balaidos to make it 9 factors from 9 in LaLiga.

Bellingham’s means isn’t any shock — that’s the reason he had his decide of golf equipment in the summertime and Madrid paid a €100 million switch price for him — however few anticipated him to be this decisive this quickly. After netting within the opening-day win at Athletic Club after which including two as Madrid got here from behind to beat Almeria final week, he was as soon as once more the hero in Vigo.

With time working out, and after Rodrygo had seen a penalty saved, Bellingham acquired in entrance of his marker within the 81st minute to go house his fourth aim in three video games. More importantly, it gave Madrid three factors on a night when one had appeared seemingly as a result of a scarcity of attacking aptitude.

An early-season reliance on Bellingham might change into an issue, although, if others do not start to chip in and, particularly, if Vinicius is out for any size of time. He will endure checks this weekend on what’s the first muscle harm he has had since becoming a member of the membership. After dropping each Thibaut Courtois and Éder Militão to long-term accidents, Madrid could have all the things crossed for the Brazilian. — Sam Marsden

---

Can Sterling present the targets Chelsea crave?

Raheem Sterling is again. The England ahead had a troublesome first season at Chelsea after his £47.5m transfer from Manchester City, however his early-season type beneath Mauricio Pochettino suggests he’s near rediscovering his greatest type.

He scored twice within the 3-0 win over Luton Town at Stamford Bridge on Friday night time — the primary was an exquisite solo effort after turning and twisting his approach into the penalty space from the appropriate wing — and arrange a aim for Nicolas Jackson. He appeared sharp within the 3-1 defeat at West Ham United, however there was extra finish product in opposition to Luton.

Sterling was virtually written off final season, however the reality is that no Chelsea participant emerged from their disastrous marketing campaign with any credit score. He was utilized in quite a lot of completely different positions beneath Thomas Tuchel, Graham Potter and Frank Lampard, however he appears to benefitting from extra consistency beneath Pochettino.

Still looking out for a brand new ahead, Chelsea are determined for targets, however perhaps Sterling is the person to supply them. It wasn’t so way back that he scored 20 Premier League targets in a single season for Manchester City, throughout a three-year run throughout which he discovered the online 79 instances in 149 video games in all competitions from 2017 to 2020. — Dawson

---

Leverkusen are the category of the Bundesliga

A 12 months in the past, Bayer Leverkusen started the season with excessive expectations and no type in any way. They misplaced to a fourth-division membership within the first spherical of the DFB-Pokal and misplaced their first three Bundesliga matches by a mixed scoreline of 6-1. It was dire, and supervisor Gerardo Seoane was fired in early October.

After parlaying the switch of star Moussa Diaby into strikes for veterans Granit Xhaka and Jonas Hofmann and younger ahead Victor Boniface, Xabi Alonso’s Leverkusen have begun the 2023-24 season in polar reverse type. They stomped their lower-division Pokal opponent, they usually moved to 6 factors from two Bundesliga matches with a rampant 3-0 win over Seoane’s Borussia Monchengladbach on Saturday.

Boniface was otherworldly, almost matching Gladbach by way of complete photographs (11 to Gladbach’s 12) and topping them by way of xG created (1.6 to 0.9). He thumped in a header to offer Leverkusen the lead within the 18th minute, Jonathan Tah scored proper earlier than half, and Boniface put the match away within the 53rd minute. Xhaka and Hofmann had been almost flawless in advancing the ball into harmful areas, and Boniface took it from there.

Six targets and 6 factors in two matches. It’s arduous to ask for greater than that. — Bill Connelly

---

Luis Enrique, Mbappe present PSG assertion win

Paris Saint-Germain have lastly kick-started their season with an outstanding 3-1 victory in opposition to Lens, final season’s Ligue 1 runners-up. After two common attracts in opposition to Lorient and Toulouse to begin the marketing campaign, the Parisians went up a gear for his or her first huge conflict of the season. After dominating the primary half, they had been even higher after the break, scoring three targets earlier than conceding a late one.

Kylian Mbappé was on the centre of all the things.

He acquired his title onto the scoresheet twice. He has now been concerned in 301 targets for PSG in all competitions (215 targets and 86 assists). And whereas the soccer world puzzled what sort of reception he would get from the followers after a torrid summer season, he acquired huge cheers and exhibits of help earlier than, throughout and after the sport.

It was as if nothing had occurred.

There was additionally a primary aim for Marco Asensio, who began as a false No. 9 within the absence of Gonçalo Ramos, after an exquisite collective transfer. That’s arguably an important component of this victory for PSG: we noticed a correct crew on Saturday night time, with nice cohesion, with stability, with grit, with togetherness as displayed by Manuel Ugarte, who was wonderful once more within the No. 6 place.

It had been some time since we noticed a PSG crew taking part in that approach, and it is vitally promising for the long run. — Julien Laurens

---

Don’t sleep on Spurs

Tottenham Hotspur could be the final word Narrative FC to date within the 2023-24 Premier League marketing campaign, rallying from the anticipated chaos of dropping Harry Kane to Bayern Munich and beginning over beneath supervisor Ange Postecoglou to sit down second within the desk after the primary three weekends. It’s deserved, too, and serves as vindication for the “Kane must go” crowd who noticed that his absence would create ample alternatives for different gamers to shine.

In Saturday’s 2-0 win at Bournemouth, the highlight hit James Maddison brightest, with the previous Leicester City playmaker popping up on the proper time to open the scoring after 20 minutes. His run was impeccably timed to fulfill Pape Sarr’s incisive through-ball, and it spoke volumes of what this new-look Tottenham may be.

The Postecoglou period remains to be in its infancy, however his elan in successful 5 of six home trophies over two seasons with Celtic exhibits he’s greater than able to elevating a crew from the sum of its elements right into a successful outfit.

An indication of Tottenham’s newfound resilience might be seen in how they went in at half-time 1-0 to the nice after which confronted a barrage of Bournemouth possession and menace to open the second half, earlier than placing the sport away with Dejan Kulusevski’s first aim since January. The former Juventus winger was within the excellent place to transform after Destiny Udogie (who was compelled off early with harm) fought his strategy to the touchline earlier than pulling the ball again into the six-yard field, the place Kulusevski bundled it house.

It’s solely been three video games, however this Tottenham aspect look stronger and extra adaptable within the aftermath of Kane’s switch. Postecoglou simply could be what this aspect has been lacking because the days of Pochettino. — James Tyler

---

The sorry state of Sevilla

The honeymoon interval is over for coach José Luis Mendilibar at Sevilla, who stay the one aspect in LaLiga with out a level after they had been overwhelmed 2-1 at house by Girona on Saturday. Mendilibar took over earlier this 12 months, steered Sevilla away from relegation, gained the Europa League, which in flip certified them for this season’s Champions League, after which solely misplaced to Manchester City on penalties within the UEFA Super Cup this month.

However, their home type has failed them because the new marketing campaign acquired underway. Losses to Valencia and Alaves had been adopted by a 3rd consecutive defeat to Girona on the Sanchez Pizjuan. Next up is a visit to Atletico Madrid.

Yangel Herrera’s opener was cancelled out by Nemanja Gudelj in first-half stoppage time, however Girona restored their lead via Aleix García after the break. Sevilla had been left pissed off of their makes an attempt to attract degree once more. Ivan Rakitic had a aim dominated out for offside earlier than the referee took away a penalty from Sevilla after a pitchside evaluation having initially given it.

A fast phrase for Girona, too, who’re nice enjoyable to observe and have made a brilliant begin to the season, taking seven factors from 9 to climb to second within the desk. They might have wrapped this one up earlier, too. Artem Dovbyk chipped in with a contender for miss of the season after the vigorous Brazilian Sávio had hit the submit. — Marsden

---

News of the day

• Manchester United supervisor Erik ten Hag praised his crew for overcoming a horror begin to beat Nottingham Forest 3-2 in an Old Trafford thriller within the Premier League on Saturday. The hosts had been 2-0 down and in disarray inside 5 minutes with Taiwo Awoniyi scoring a solo effort on the break and Willy Boly heading in a second aim for the guests. “It’s a horror start giving them two goals and making mistakes, but I’m very pleased with the comeback,” Dutchman Ten Hag instructed reporters. “The leadership, how we stayed calm and composed, stick to the plan and belief and turnaround. “We performed superb soccer, out of the plan and rules and guidelines we scored good targets.” Read the full story.

• Mikel Arteta has backed Kai Havertz to win over Arsenal supporters after another subdued showing in Saturday’s 2-2 draw against Fulham. The £67.5m summer signing from Chelsea had the fewest touches (22) of any Arsenal outfield player in the first half and was substituted on 56 minutes with his side trailing 1-0 at the Emirates Stadium. “Today it was robust in sure moments. He acquired in nice areas and the ball did not arrive. In a number of conditions he ought to have scored a number of targets already this season. That’s the factor that’s lacking there.” Read the full story.

• United States international Josh Sargent injured an ankle while scoring in Norwich’s 4-0 victory over Huddersfield in England’s second-tier Championship on Saturday. “It seems to be like a severe ankle harm, sadly,” Norwich coach David Wagner said. “We will assess him tomorrow, after which we must wait and see how severe it truly is.” Read the total story.

---

And lastly …

There had been simply 52 seconds on the clock when Saka’s unfastened back-pass despatched Pereira in one-v-one with Aaron Ramsdale, organising Fulham to take a 1-0 lead within the first minute on the Emirates on Saturday. Arsenal would claw their approach again to say a hard-fought 2-2 draw, however it wasn’t a perfect strategy to begin.

And but, it is change into one thing of a behavior.

Saturday marked the third time prior to now 9 Premier League house video games that the Gunners have conceded a first-minute aim, in keeping with Opta. And the statisticians word that doing so in a single calendar 12 months is one thing that is by no means occurred earlier than within the competitors’s historical past.

Fans within the purple half of north London will probably be hoping the development ends right here.